.50 Action Express

.50 Action Express
.50 Action Express (left) round next to a .32 ACP cartridge (right)
TypeHandgun
Place of originUnited States
Production history
DesignerEvan Whildin, Action Arms
Designed1988
Produced1988–present
Specifications
Case typeRebated, straight
Bullet diameter.500 in (12.7 mm)
Land diameter.494 in (12.5 mm)
Neck diameter.531 in (13.5 mm)
Base diameter.543 in (13.8 mm)
Rim diameter.514 in (13.1 mm)
Rim thickness.060 in (1.5 mm)
Case length1.285 in (32.6 mm)
Overall length1.610 in (40.9 mm)
Rifling twist1:19 in
Primer typeLarge pistol
Maximum pressure36,000 psi (250 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy
300 gr (19 g) XTP Hornady 1,475 ft/s (450 m/s) 1,449 ft⋅lbf (1,965 J)
300 gr (19 g) GDHP Speer 1,550 ft/s (470 m/s) 1,600 ft⋅lbf (2,200 J)
325 gr (21 g) UCHP Speer 1,450 ft/s (440 m/s) 1,517 ft⋅lbf (2,057 J)
400 gr (26 g) TII WFNGC 1,200 ft/s (370 m/s) 1,279 ft⋅lbf (1,734 J)
460 gr (30 g) TII WFNGC subsonic 1,050 ft/s (320 m/s) 1,126 ft⋅lbf (1,527 J)
Test barrel length: 6 in (152 mm)
Source(s): TII Armory[1]
Accurate Powder[2]
Speer[3]

The .50 Action Express (AE) (12.7×33mmRB) is a large-caliber handgun cartridge, best known for its usage in the Desert Eagle. Developed in 1988 by American Evan Whildin of Action Arms, the .50 AE is one of the most powerful pistol cartridges in production.[4]

  1. ^ ".50 AE - 400 Grain WFNGC". Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  2. ^ ".50 AE loading data at Accurate Powder" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
  3. ^ "50 American Eagles with 300-grain Gold Dot HP" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
  4. ^ Barnes, Frank C.; Skinner, Stan (October 20, 2009). Cartridges of the World 12th Edition: A Complete and Illustrated Reference for Over 1500 Cartridges. Krause Publications. p. 568. ISBN 978-0-89689-936-0.